Ambitious Blog

July is almost over and I haven't done a "Because I Said It Out Loud" Update in about a million years. The thing is, I just looked at my first post on this blog and realized that I set myself a one year time frame on August 8th of last year to finish up all three of my goals: to get into grad school, get my doula certification, and knit a sweater from scratch. That means I have a two weeks to get that stuff DONE!

Law School: Obviously, I'm in. I have an apartment (that I have never seen before). I am moving down August 14th, moving into my apartment August 15th, orientation starts August 17th (although there are some unofficial activities the 15th/16th). I don't get my class schedule or book list until I get there. This would be scary except that not having my books or classes keeps me from panicking about all the other kids being more prepared than me. I think they do this on purpose. I did get one of the "if you MUST read something law related this summer, read this" books they mentioned but haven't read beyond the chapter on "Managing Stress in Law School." I've decided to "manage stress" by going into denial about becoming a 1L in less than a month. It is working well for me at the moment.

Also, after the Great Computer Fiasco of March 2011, I have another computer. I have had it longer than 16 hours without being mugged. I am trying not to tempt the fates by gloating about this too much.

Doula Certification: I am sooooo close to doula certification! I attended my last birth. I am waiting on evaluations. Assuming they are positive, all I have to do is write some essays and finish up a client resource guide. I am very much NOT going to be done by August 8th. My certifcation packet runs out in October (not August like I had feared), so I have a little extra time. Still hope to get it done before school starts.

Sheep to Sweater: My sweater is almost done.

I have finished the vast majority of the knitting, sewed a couple of bits on the hood and armpits together have blocked it out, and it is currently drying on the floor next to the air conditioner, pretending like it totally makes sense to try to dry a sweater on the most humid day of the year.

Reminder of knitting terminology: blocking is laying your wet sweater out the way it is supposed to look. You flatten out any rolled edges, lay the pockets flat, and pin it out to the right dimensions. If it isn't the right dimensions, this is the point at which you start cussing and either find someone who is the size of the sweater to get a really nice Christmas present (my mom has volunteered if this particular adventure doesn't work out) or start ripping back your nicely made up sweater.

It grew a little during blocking as I hoped it would, so I think it is even going to fit me like it should. I won't really know for sure until it is dry and I can put it on. Then I pick up a button band on the front (right after figuring out just how exactly I am supposed to do that), sew on some buttons, and then rejoice in a new sweater at the hotest time of the year. I think I can finish this in the next two weeks. Easily. Sure...

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Now I am at the point where I have pretty much acheived all my goals for hte year. Sure, I didn't ever actually shear a sheep, my sweater is knit from yarn that is distinctly not something I spun myself, and my doula cert is going to take three weeks to two months longer than I had hoped, but I'm pretty satisfied.

The real question is, do I continue this blog and if so, what new goals should I write about? Are you all going to get sick of listening to me rant about law school? Veer more towards a life blog? More towards all-knitting/crafts, all the time?